The 32 Deuce is a car, which was actually called the "Ford Model B" by the company that produced it. "Deuce" or even "deuce coupe" is car guy slang for this 1932 Ford. The term is a reference to the first year that this model was manufactured. The last year of production was 1934, so the production life span was really short. It was the successor to the Model A and was replaced by the 1935 Ford Model 48. To make the '32 an even more unique vehicle was the fact that its wheelbase was really 106 inches, not the 112 that was advertised. Henry reflected on this fact and decided for '33 that he should deliver what he promised and made the car a smidgen longer. This makes a true 1932 Deuce a one year car! Funny thing was, Ford really got it all right at the start (from the rodder's perspective) and the 32 Deuce has become the iconic ideal of what a true hot rod should be!
As it rolled off Henry's other new invention, the assembly line, the Model B was a four-banger car with a slightly warmed over version of the Model A engine. The real news was that Ford also began producing a very similar car with their new Flathead V 8 engine. The V 8 car was marketed as the Model 18, though it's commonly referred to as the Ford V 8. Other than the engine, which is a really BIG other, this car is virtually indistinguishable from the 4 cylinder Model B. The Model 18 holds the historical distinction of being the first low-priced, mass-marketed car to include a V 8 engine. This engine choice appealed to more buyers than the four-cylinder. In both models, the fuel tank was located in the lower rear of the car, like in more modern American cars. Gone was the cowl fuel tank from the Model A and Model T period. This reposition required Ford to include an engine-driven fuel pump rather than being able to rely on gravity feed.
Model B and Model 18 Fords were manufactured in (more than) several different body styles. To start off with, there was a two-door roadster. There was also a two-door convertible sedan and, my personal favorite, the two-door cabriolet (roll up windows instead of side curtains!). There were three kinds of coupes; a five-window coupe, a sport coupe (stationary softtop) and a three-window Deluxe Coupe! There was even a two-door Victoria, which is kind of like a two-door sporty sedan. Then came a four-door phaeton, two-door and four-door sedans, a four-door, "woodie" station wagon. For the workin' Joe there were panel and sedan deliveries and a pickup! Man! If you could dream up a variation on a theme, the Model B had something to satisfy what you wanted!
Prices ranged from $460 for the roadster at the low end to the $650 convertible sedan. Production totals numbered 12,597 for the roadsters to 124,101 for the two-door sedans. In the heart of every hot rodder, it's the roadsters and coupes that burn most brightly!
In the 1940s, the 32's of both models were frequently altered into hot rods. Rodders would strip bare this readily available car and soup up the engine. This reworking continued into the 1960s when an available donor was found. The Beach Boys even immortalized the Deuce in a classic rock and roll song! Since the 1970s, 1932 bodies and frames have been reproduced either in fiberglass or lately in steel, which has helped resolve bodywork shortages, and increased the number of "rods" being built. There are actually more 32s now than were produced by Ford during the one year production run! Those Deuces that are made today can often be very expensive. A typical auto-show quality Deuce may be $80K or more.
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